Decorative material



July 19, 1938. K. E. PRI NDLE 2,124,210

DECORATIVE MATERIAL Filed Nov. 27, 1957 "I/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIAVIA 3 v bJDTIA' DTIIYAYILIDY AUA Patented July 19,1938

DECORATIVE MATERIAL Karl E. Prindle, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignor v to The Dobeckmun Company, Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application November 27, 1937, Serial No.

8 Claims. '(Cl. 154-46) This invention (which is a continuation-in-part of that disclosed in application Serial No. 101,552, filed September 19, 1936) relatesto a decorative material, and-more particularly to a decorative 5 metal foil material which in one embodiment simulates artificial leather For many years .it has been desired to use metal foil because of its appearance and luster for many purposes. However, the use of metal foil has been restricted because of certain undesirable properties which it possesses.- For example, metalfoil is' quite fragile, does not resist tearing, cannot withstand high tension, and is not ,sufiiciently fiexible'to permit flexing thereof.

Even moderate flexing of the foil usually results in ruptures, tears or creases. Consequently, metal foil could .not be stitched or sewed. It would breakor tearduring or after sewing or stitching thereof. Thus, it has been impossible to use metal foil for many purposes which involved sewing or stitching thereof.

In addition to the foregoing, metal foil tarnished, and this undesirable property also tended to restrict wide and extensive use thereof.

I have found that by laminating metal foil to a sheet or film formed of arubberhydrohalide, I

A can produce a material which possesses all the desirable characteristics of metal foil and yet is free of the undesirable characteristics.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to produce a metal foil material which will not tear or breakduring and/or after sewing or stitching thereof, which highly resists tearing and which withstands high tension.

Another object of this invention is to produce a metal foil material which will not tarnish.

A still further object of this invention is to prepare a metal foil material which will withstand flexing to a relatively high degree and retain the original condition or appearance of the material.

A specific object of this invention is to produce a metal foil material simulating artificial leather of any desired color. 4

Additional and further objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description, appended claimsv and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 are perspective views of fragments of materials containing the principles of this invention; and

55 the present invention produces a non-tarnishable Figures 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views of fragfoil material which will not break or tear during sewing and which will resist tearing after sewing as well as withstand considerable tension. To achieve the objects of this invention, a metal foil is laminated to a sheet or film of a rubber hydro- 5 halide through the medium of an adhesive, preferably of the thermoplastic type. Such a product can be successfully stitchedorsewed, and hence may be utilized as a trimming for various fabrics and wearing apparel, or it may be further 10 fabricated by operations involving sewing into various articles, as will be hereafter explained. By virtue of the sheet or film of rubber hydrohalide, the foil is also protected against tarnishing and the product can be flexed to a considerable degree 15 without substantially affecting the smooth surface thereof.

The laminated material may be provided with a backing. Usually andin the preferred form of this embodiment of the invention, the backing is 2 on the surface of the metal foil opposite to that on which the rubber hydrohalide sheet or film is laminated. The backing may be of any suitable material, such as, for example, a sheet or film of rubber hydrohalide, fabric, etc. may be secured to the laminated product by means of an adhesive or, since the material is capable of being stitched, by stitches. This product can also be used in the production of various articles hereinafter'more fully explained.

The laminated material may be made to simulate artificial leather. When such a product is desired, the laminated material, and particularly the surface of the product which is to be visible, is subjected to'an embossing operation.

The rubber hydrohalide film is of that variety which is transparent and more or less elastic.

..As the preferred rubber hydrohalide film, I employ afilm made of rubber hydrohalide produced in accordance with United States patent to Cal- 40 vert No. 1,989,632 of January 29, 1935. The rubber hydrohalide film may be of any desired thickness. In order to make the final product relatively' thin and flexible, I prefer that the rubber hydrohalide be of a thickness between .00088 and .002 of an inch.

As the metal foil I use any of the known metal foils. In the preferred form of the invention, I employ aluminum foil of a thickness of from .0003 to .0007 of an inch, and preferably .00045 of=an inch. Other metal foils, such as, for example,

- gold, silver, copper, lead, tin, etc., may be employed.

Any suitable adhesive composition may be used for securing the laminae together. I prefer, how- The backing 25 by a. pigment or dyestuff incorporated therein.v

Alternatively, the coloring agent which is pref-' erably a transparent pigment or dyestuff may be incorporated in the adhesive.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like ref- Y erence numerals designate like parts, the reference numeral I designates a sheet or film formed of rubber hydrohalide (rubberhydrochloride) adhesively secured through the medium of the selegted adhesive 2 to the selected sheet of metal foil In producing this material, owing to the extreme fragility of the metal foil, I prefer to thinly coat one side of the rubber hydrohalide film with the adhesive and unite the metal foil thereto under heat and pressure.

The product above described, and which is generally illustrated in Figure 1, may be subjected to an embossing operation, preferably simultaneously with or subsequent to the laminating step, whereby the rubber hydrohalide film I and the metal foil are embossed to produce a material simulating artificial leather.

The product shown in Figure 1, and immediately before described, can be cut, withstands considerable tension, and will not break or tear during or after sewing. As a consequence, this material may be employed in the manufacture of sewed or stitched materials. For example, this material, cut into an appropriate size and configuration or shape, may be used as a trimming on fabrics, for example, dress goods, in which case it is secured to the goods by stitching in the ordinary sewing machine. It may be used for theproducing of wearing apparel. For example, collars, cuffs, etc. may be made therefrom which, when secured to a garment as by stitching, will also serve as an attractive trimming therefor.

The product illustrated in Figure 1 may also be employed for making divers other articles of manufacture, especially' those now formed of leather or artificial leather, such as, for example, containers, handbags, tobacco pouches, wallets, bindings, covers, shoes, slippers, etc. The material illustrated in Figure 1 may further be used to make strap material from which may be made belts, straps, handles, etc.

When a strap material is desired, a strip of appropriate width obtained by slitting the ma terial shown in Figure 1 is subjected to a folding operation wherein the longitudinal edges are folded inwardly and onto the under surface of the metal foil and forms a material having a top ply l and under plies 5.

In the form illustrated in Figure 5, the folded material is secured by stitches 6 and I to a strip of any selected material, such as afabric 8, positioned on the under plies of the folded material. In the preferred form of this embodiment, the fabric strip 8 is of the same width and length as the folded material. The resulting strap material is exceedingly rugged and strong. If desired, the strip of fabric 8 may be omitted.

In some instances, a product more rugged and stronger. than that shown in Figure 1 may be desired. with this in view, a suitable backing may be secured tothe under surface of the metal foil 3.

In the embodiment shown in, Figure 2, the backing is formed of a .sheet or film of rubber hydrohalide I similar to the rubber hydrohalide film I on thefront surface of the metal foil. The sheet or film of rubber hydrohalide i may be secured to the material by means of an adhesive 2 similar to the adhesive 2. In this form, the final product may be made by a single laminating step. Thus, the surfaces' of the rubber hydrohalide films l and I which are to be secured to the metal foil 3 are provided with a thin coat of the selected thermoplastic adhesive 2 and 2' respective y, and the laminae united under heat and pressure. Instead of adhesively securing the under sheet or film of rubber hydrohalide I, the latter may be secured by stitching.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the product therein disclosed is shown as having a fabric backing 9 adhesively secured to the under surface of the metalfoil 3 through the medium of the adhesive 2 similar to the adhesive 2.- This product is made in the same manner as discussed above in connection with Figure 2.

Instead of securing the backing 9 by' an adhesive, the backing 9 may be secured by stitches Ill, as shown in Figure 4. It is to be understood that any number of rows of stitches [0 may be used. Usually, the number of rows of stitches I0 is determined by the use to which the product is put.

illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4,.the same mode of operation may be employed as was described in connection with Figure 1. -For example, the longitudinal edges of a strip of a material similar .to that of Figure 3 or Figure 4 and of the desired dimensions are folded inwardly and onto the backing 9 to'form a product having a topply II and under plies l2, as shown in Figure 6. A fabric strip l3, preferably coextensive with the folded material, is positioned on the plies l2 and the assembly sewed. In the form shown in Figure 6, two rows of stitches I4 are shown. Though in the preferred form of this embodiment the strip I3 is used,-if desired the strip I 3 may be omitted.

,Another form of strap material is shownin Figure 7. In this embodiment, the material, for

.purposes of illustration, is of the type shown in Figures 3 and 4. To make the strap material shown in Figure 7, one edge of an appropriately sized strip material of the type' shown in Figures 3 and 4 is folded inwardly to extend over a portion of 'the fabric backing 9 to form an inner ,ply IS. The other edge of the longitudinal matein the embodiment shown in Figure 6 may be so disposed that they abut each other, lap over each other, or may be spaced from each other, as desired. It is further to be understood that in the embodiment shown in Figure '7, the intermediate ply l may terminate at any point between the upper and lower plies and even extend throughout the width of the product.

Since it is obvious that the laminated metal foil-rubber hydrohalide product may be used for many purposes other than those herein specifically described, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the uses herein mentioned.

Since it is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the above description without departing from the nature or spirit thereof, this invention is not restricted thereto except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An article of manufacture comprising a stitched product in which at least one of the stitched materials comprises a laminated material in which at least a sheet or film of a metal foil .0003 to .0007 of an inch in thickness is adhesively secured through the medium of a transparent adhesive to a coextensive transparent sheet or film of a rubber hydrohalide .00088 to .002 of an inch in thickness.

2. An article of manufacture comprising a stitched product in which at least one of the stitched materials comprises a laminated material in which at least a sheet or film of metal foil is adhesively secured'through the medium of a transparent adhesive to a coextensive transparent sheet or. film of a rubber hydrohalide.

3. An article of manufacture comprising a lamvinated material in which at least the upper surface of a sheet or film of metal foil is adhesively secured through the medium of a transparent adhesive to the under surface of a coextensive transparent sheet or film of a rubber hydrohalide, a fabric on the under surface of said'metal foil, and stitches securing said fabric to said laminated material.

4. An article of manufacture comprising a laminated material in which at least the upper surface of a sheet or film of metal foil is adhesively secured through the medium of a transparent adhesive to the under surface of a coextensive transparent sheet or film of a rubber hydrohallde, a coextensive piece of fabric on the under surface of said metal foil, and stitches securing said fabric to said laminated material.

5. An article of manufacture comprising a laminated material in which at least the upper surface of a sheet or film of metal foil is adhesively secured through the medium of a transparent adhesive to the under surface of a coextensive transparent sheet or film of a rubber hydrohalide, said laminated material having each of its longitudinal edges folded inwardly and on to the rear side thereof forming an article having a top ply and at least one under ply adjacent each edge thereof, a base material on said under plies, and stitches passing through said base material and top and under plies.

6. An article of manufacture comprising a laminated material in which at least the upper surface of a sheet or film of metal foil is adhesively secured through the medium of a transparent adhesive to the under surface of a coextensive transparent sheet or film of a rubber hydrohalide, said laminated material having each of its longitudinal edges folded inwardly and on to the rear side thereof forming an article having a top ply and at least one under ply adjacent each edge thereof, and stitches securing the upper ply to the said under plies.

7. An article of manufacture comprising a laminated material in which at least the upper surface of a sheet or film of metal foil is adhesively secured through the medium of a transparent adhesive to the under surface of a coextensive transparent sheet or film of a rubber hydrohalide, said laminated material having each of its longitudinal edges folded inwardly and on tensive transparent sheet or film of a rubber hy-,

drohalide, said laminated material having each of its longitudinal edges folded inwardly and on to the rear sidev thereof forming an article having a top ply and at least one under ply adjacent each edge thereof, a fabric coextensive with said. folded material on the said under plies, and stitches passing through said fabric and top and under plies to secure the same.

KARL E. PRINDLE. 

